Dive! World War II Stories of Sailors & Submarines in the Pacific

Starred review from July 1, 2016
Hopkinson's writing plumbs the depths in relating the undersea exploits of American submariners during World War II. "The U.S. Navy fought the Pacific Ocean phase of World War II on a liquid chessboard," according to Adm. Bernard A. Clarey, and while sailors and battleships island-hopped across the Pacific, the "Silent Service" of gallant submariners lurked below the surface, facing what naval historian Theodore Roscoe called "the overwhelming forces of the Unknown." With an emphasis on first-person accounts--such as that of 15-year-old Martin Matthews, a young white man who lied about his age and joined the Navy just in time to be on the Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor--Hopkinson crafts a gripping narrative. It's supplemented with three types of interspersed text: "briefings" with information about the war (including a section on African-American submariners), "dispatches" offering stories of interest and first-person accounts, and "submarine school," about submarines and submariners. Numerous dramatic black-and-white photographs offer a parallel visual story. Told chronologically, from Pearl Harbor through the end of the war, with frequent news reports from above the surface, such as engrossing accounts of Bataan and Corregidor, the fascinating volume serves as a solid history of the war in the Pacific. Extensive backmatter includes a glossary, a timeline, facts and statistics about submarines, and links to resources. Fascinating World War II history for history buffs and browsers alike. (epilogue, bibliography, source notes) (Nonfiction. 8-14)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 1, 2016

Gr 6-8-In this broad and insightful look at a less commonly examined aspect of the Pacific War, the narrative comes alive through looks at individual sailors and commanders and their particular contributions to larger events. An account of the USS Wahoo's stealth entry into Wewak Harbor on New Guinea, using a map found in a high school geography textbook, and its successful sinking of a Japanese destroyer is as gripping as any thriller. Hopkinson makes a point of noting the presence of women (nurses evacuated from Corregidor) and African Americans, who were limited in their formal duties but pushed by the realities of war into key roles in submarines. Readers are always aware of the intensity of submarine warfare and the massive human toll. One chapter closes with a poignant unsent letter from a wife to her husband lost in battle. Sidebars complement the narrative with, for example, a colorful description of an officer's effort to have an ice-cream maker installed in his sub, a description of how subs dive, and recommendations for visits to websites and naval museums. Specialized terminology is occasionally distracting, but Hopkinson does an ample job defining terms in context. The book concludes with an expansive "After Section," which includes source citations for individual quotations, a lengthy bibliography, an annotated list of online resources, and lists of facts and figures. Many contemporaneous photographs depict the actual sailors and vessels discussed in the text. VERDICT A riveting narrative nonfiction selection for middle school collections.-Bob Hassett, Luther Jackson Middle School, Falls Church, VA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from June 1, 2016
Grades 5-8 *Starred Review* Hopkinson's gripping account of submarine warfare in the Pacific during WWII begins with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, as told through the eyes of 15-year-old Martin Matthews, who lied about his age to enlist in the U.S. Navy. As battleships were repaired, undamaged submarines with torpedoes became lone raiders in a vast ocean, decimating Japanese ships and cutting off lines of supply. Although Hopkinson (Courage & Defiance, 2015) continues her tried-and-true format of revealing history through firsthand accountsranging from a submariner and communications officer to an admiral and rescued nurseshe keeps it fresh with harrowing near misses, attacks, accidents, and rescues. Readers wait anxiously alongside crew members amid silence and dangerous heat and oxygen levels as the submariners narrowly escape enemy detection or brace for depth charge explosions that rattle bones, fray nerves, and signal possible death. An abundance of archival photos provide visual references, while short asides fill in gaps on such submarine-related topics as the treatment of African American crew members, the modern integration of female officers into the Submarine Force, and on-board living conditionsfrom bathrooms to ice-cream machines. Copious back matter provides even more facts and figures. With a fascinating blend of submarine mechanics and tales of courage, readers will dive in deep.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)